3 Reasons Why Healthcare and Medical Staffing Needs a Complete Overhaul

Pandemic or not, healthcare workers have always been subject to stress because of work overload, excessive working hours, sleep deprivation, etc. The past eighteen months may have pushed them over the edge, but it has also made the world take notice of their contribution. We may have taken their services for granted in the past and even thought of healthcare as any other vocation.

However, with so many Americans facing life or death situations, we’ve now realized how much we owe our healthcare professionals and how much strain they’re under.

Perhaps, we’ve come to this realization a little too late because frontline healthcare workers across the country have been quitting by the thousands. They’ve either quit the profession altogether or are considering early retirement. Long story short, the US is losing nurses when it needs them the most! Such an exodus has created a huge hole that needs some creative thinking and agility to fill.

We need to change the recruitment process within the industry drastically. Our approach towards talent hunting, interviewing, onboarding, etc., must be more inclusive. In the past, companies often thought people ought to feel privileged working for them. Given the shortage of skilled staff, the tables have turned, and candidates are now more in command during the recruitment process. While monetary compensation is still the driving factor, other elements like brand name, policies regarding diversity and inclusivity, staff treatment, etc., are being considered.

Here are a few other reasons why we need to revamp our staffing process:

Gen Z is far more political about choices related to career and consumerism. Organizations must manage their expectations and implement them as well in their policies. Very soon, nearly one-third of the world population would belong to Generation Z. This generation has a unique perspective on careers and how they view success in life. Employers must understand them and respect their efforts to be global citizens. This means organizations can no longer afford to gloss over issues such as sustainability, climate change, or nutrition.

Issues such as gender equality, diversity, and inclusivity are very important to Gen Z. For institutions to hire the best talent, they must appeal to everyone in their marketing and branding efforts.

People may have once spent their entire career working for a single company, but this is hardly imaginable today because of the changed societal and economic realities we now have to face. For instance, healthcare staff has to plan for a 50+ year career – can they be expected to perform consistently and have the same drive throughout their work-life? To continue the pipeline of talented resources, we need to consider what older workers can add that might differ from their current roles. How can institutions retain staff without risking burnout now and in the future?

Employers must adopt a speed of evolution that matches the external environment to attract the best talent from the Gen Z pool. This includes offering robust training and leadership programs and maintaining a real and tangible focus on diversity.

If you need help understanding your hiring needs, give us a call for a no-obligation conversation.